Sifter or separator



(No Model.)

C. ZIMMER1VIA1\I.y SIPTBR 0R SBPARATOR.

Patented Mer. -7, 1893.

l Ilvil, A.

@Nimah STATES ATENT Ormea.

CASPER ZIMMERMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

slFTER 0R sPARAToR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,142, dated March 7,1893.

Application filed May 3, 1892. Serial No. 431,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CASPER ZIMMERMAN, of Denver,in the county ofArapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sifters or Separators; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in miningmachines, and has for its object the production of a new and highlyel'licient machine of this class for mining gold and other precious oreswhereby the ore is readily and easily separated in a dry state from thepay gravel with but a `minim u m waste.

The invention comprises an inclined Sieve having a lower receivingtrough and provided with a series of parallel bars spaced apart andhaving opposite inclined faces, said bars being widened at their upperportions and narrowed at the bottom.

The invention further consists in a sieve having a lower trough, aseries of bars having inclined sides provided with metallic strips,spacing blocks placed between said bars at periodical points, and bandsor straps inclosing said bars and spacing blocks both above and below,the upper bandsor straps serving to impede the ore in its passage, bothof said bands or straps being connected at their ends to the parallelsides of the sifter, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure l is a View in side elevation of myimproved mining machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sifter orseparator. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof on the line :v-9c, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View of a portion of one of the bars.

' Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame-work or staging ofordinary construction, preferably formed in sections so that its heightcan be regulated. In the upper portion of this frame-work or staging isan inclined feed chute a having side guide rails a.

B is a hoisting bucket designed to be lowered into the point ofexcavation and raised therefrom when filled by means of a rope or chaina2 passed over a sheave-wheel or pulley cts suspended from a topcross-bar of framework A, the other end of said rope or chain beingconnected to the lwindlass of any suitable engine or motor (not shown).

O designates my improved sifter or separator, and b, b, parallelside-bars or boards thereof, to the undersides of which are securedhooked plates b designed to be placed in engagement with a cross-bar b2of framework A at a point just below the discharge end of feed chute a.These side-bars or boards are braced or held together at their ends bystrap irons d.

Between the side-bars or boards of the sifter or separator is a seriesof spaced apart bars D, which extend throughout the length of the sifteror separator, the length of the latter being regulated by the extent ofthe lincline where themachine is located. Each of these bars is ot'approximately V-shape in cross-section, and to their sides are securedmetallic strips or plates d to prevent the gravel or stone from wearingon said bars. These bars which constitute the bottom of the sifter orseparator are spaced apart at periodical points by-suitable spacingblocks d2, which conform to the shape of the bars D. At the points oflocation of these spacing blocks the bars Dl and said blocks aresupported by corresponding U shape plates E,-E, the former passingbeneath or over the underside of said bars and blocks and having itsvertical ends bearing against the inner sides of boards b, their extremeupper ends being flanged so as to rest on the upper edges of saidboards. The U-shape plate E is passed over the upper surfaces of bars Dand the spacing blocks, and their vertical ends are held against thevertical ends of plates E by means of nutted bolts e which are passedthrough said plates and coincident holes in side-boards b. The upperU-shape plates E in addition to holding the separating bars and blocksin place also serve as checks to prevent the ore and gravel from slidingcontinuously down the inclined plane and cause such ore and gravel toturn upon coming in contact therewith, thus aiding in the separation ofthe ore.

F designates atrough of approximately U- shape form, in cross section,suspended by straps f from the side-boards b of sifter or separator O.This trough extends beneath the separating bars D throughout the lengththereof to a point near the outer, lower end, of the sifter orseparator, and is designed to receive the ore separated from the paygravel. This sitter or separator can be supported at its outer end byany suitable means, but I prefer to em ploya frame f upon the topcrossbar of which the end of said sieve or separator will rest, groovedplates f2 being attached to the side-boards b to hug the upper crossbarof said frame. The inclination of the sifter or separator will dependupon the condition of the paygravel. It' the latter be damp and sticky agreater pitch or inclination should be given the sieve or separator, nda lesser inclination when the gravel is The pay-gravel to be treated iselevated by means of the hoisting bucket, and upon being dumped onto theinclined feed chute will pass on to the inclined sitter or separator,and in its travel over the latter the ore will be sepav rated and fallinto the trough beneath, from which latter it will pass into a pan Glocated beneath the discharge end of said trough at a point betweenframe-Work A and supporting frame f. The gravel or unsifted matter willpass oi the outer projecting end of the sifter or separator.

The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the artto which it appertains, and it will be especially observed that nostream or supply of wateris necessary to effect the separation of theore, and that in the single passage of the pay gravel over the inclinedsurface of the sifter or separator the gold or other precious metalwillbe separated from the gravel and collected in a suitable pan bywhich it can be conveyed to an amalgamator, not shown. It will also beobserved that by shaping the bars of the sifter or separator asdescribed, the thorough sifting of the material is effected, and saidbars are protected from wear. It will be further observed that byplacing the upper straps of the spaced apart bars over the top-surfacesof the latter the agitation of the gravel and the separation of the oreare greatly aided.

I claim as my invention- 1. As an improvementin mining machines, thesfter or separator herein-described having a series of spaced-apart barsprovided with metallic plates on their sides, spacing blocks locatedbetween said bars, and upper and lower plates extending across said barsand holding said blocks as set forth.

2. As an improvementin mining machines, the sifter or separatorherein-described, having a series of bars of approximate V-shape, saidbars being provided with metallic plates on their sides, and the upperand lower plates attached to said sifter or separator and supportingsaid series of bars as set forth.

3. As an improvement in mining machines, the sifter or separatorherein-described comprising the parallel side-boards, the series of barsbetween said sideboards, the spacing blocks located between said bars,and the upper and lower U-shape plates supporting said bars and blocksand having their vertical ends secured to said side-boards, and thetrough beneath'said sitter or separator to which it is connected,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CASPER ZIMMERMAN.

Vitnesses:

WM. H. ANDREW, V. J. DOLEZAL.

